


Fatigue

by duckydotducky



Series: How Tired Can One Skeleton Get [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Ableism, Ableist Language, Angst, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic Illness, Chronic Pain, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Hurt/Comfort, More tags to be added, Other, Reader is gender neutral, Reader is not Frisk or Chara (Undertale), Underfell Grillby (Undertale), anti-monster type hatred
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28513146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duckydotducky/pseuds/duckydotducky
Summary: Sans finds himself in a position where he is always tired, so much so that Papyrus is worried about him. When monsters get to the surface, they have to fight for their rights to be seen as equals. Sans and Papyrus have their own struggles as they work towards getting a diagnosis for Sans and possible treatment. Along the way, Sans finds someone who understands and cares about him, despite what he sees are irredeemable flaws.
Relationships: Alphys/Undyne (Undertale), Papyrus & Sans (Undertale), Sans (Undertale)/Reader
Series: How Tired Can One Skeleton Get [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2088678
Comments: 19
Kudos: 92





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Calcium_Cat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calcium_Cat/gifts).



> Hi! I should be working on my other fics, but I figured I would get chapter 1 of this one out there. This one is near and dear to my heart. It will also be a series.

Sans heard Papyrus moving around downstairs when he woke up, but he couldn't get out of bed. His head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton and the room spun. He closed his eyesockets again and sighed. 

It seemed he was having this issue more and more. His body would hurt and he would struggle to concentrate. On the worst days, he couldn't get out of bed. Papyrus would have to carry him downstairs and feed him. Then he would spend the rest of the day sleeping on the couch.

He didn't understand how Papyrus put up with him. He had to be tired of Sans being so damn lazy. Sometimes he would get frustrated with Sans but Sans could never hold it against him. It must be hard to have such a deadbeat older brother.

He was just drifting off when he heard Papyrus calling up the stairs to him. He didn't respond. He really couldn't. It would take too much energy. He shivered slightly. Even grabbing his blanket from the balled up pile on his bed was too much work. 

There was a knock on his door. He waited, eyesockets closed. Papyrus knew that if Sans couldn't verbally respond, there was a chance he couldn't get up either. Sure enough, the door opened and Papyrus entered his room quietly.

"Sans?" He said, keeping his voice barely above a whisper. Sans grunted in response. He heard Papyrus sigh and walk over. 

The bed dipped as Papyrus sat on the edge. He gently rubbed against San's back. "Again? How bad is it?"

Sans had to think about that. It wasn't the worst that he had ever felt. If he pushed himself, he probably could get up and go to work. He was just being lazy. 

He opened his eyesockets and forced a smile. "i'm good," he said. His mind struggled to grasp at words. It took him almost half a minute to get the rest out. "just bein' lazy." 

Papyrus frowned. "Sans. If you're not doing good today, it's alright. Undyne will understand."

Sans shook his head which was a mistake. The room swam and he had to close his eyes and wait for it to be over. He forced himself to sit up, doing his best to ignore the pain throbbing in his hips and legs. 

"nah, missed too many days already," he said. He couldn't focus his eyes. He was already worn out, just from sitting up. 

Papyrus tsked. He pulled one of the blankets out of the pile and wrapped it around Sans's shoulders. "You are not well. You need to rest."

Sans tried to argue, but his eyesockets were already drifting shut. Papyrus picked him up, and he leaned into his brother's arms. He hated days like these. He was the older sibling, he should be the strong one.

Papyrus made no comments as he set Sans on the couch. He closed the curtains and pulled out the big fluffy pillow they now kept in the closet for these such occasions. He set it down and shifted Sans into a comfortable position, covering him with the blanket from his bed.

"I'll go get you something to eat," he said. Sans could only grunt again. He really appreciated that Papyrus knew to keep his voice down and block the light out, but he still felt guilty. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, listening to Papyrus talk to Undyne on the phone. 

"We won't be able to make it today… yes, he's not feeling good again." Papyrus said. There was a pause. "No, I'm sorry. I don't want to leave him by himself this time." A spoon clinked in a bowl. "I'll get him feeling better in no time!" He said, his voice raising. Sans flinched at the sudden noise.

Papyrus hung up after saying goodbye and came out into the living room. He set the bowl and a glass of water on the coffee table. "Do you need help sitting up?" He asked. 

Sans could only give a slight nod. As gently as he could, Papyrus shifted Sans into a sitting position, using the fluffy pillow as support. Still, Sans hissed in pain. His body ached in one big throbbing motion. Papyrus nodded and got up, heading to the bathroom.

He returned a minute later with 3 white pills in his hands. One at a time, he pushed one into Sans's mouth and held the glass still as Sans took the pills. He set the glass down and picked up the bowl. 

Sans wasn't hungry, but he knew Papyrus would be upset if he didn't eat, so he ate the small spoonfuls of oatmeal offered to him. There was a point where he almost passed out in between spoonfuls of food. Papyrus patted him awake and managed to get a few more bites into him before he helped him lay back down. 

"I'll be here if you need anything," Papyrus said. He grabbed the dishes and left the room. Sans still felt horrible. His head was spinning and he was so fuzzy that he didn't think he would ever have a clear head again. He drifted off into unconsciousness, hoping that he would be better when he woke up again. 

He woke up a few times during the day. Each time, Papyrus made sure he ate and drank a little. The pain was more tolerable with the pills, but he still was dizzy. _A side effect from sleeping too much,_ He thought. 

Eventually, the day was gone. Papyrus fed him dinner and took him upstairs to his room. He tucked him into his bed, which he must have made during the day. It was a nice gesture. Sans yawned, turning on his side.

"thanks paps," he said. His voice wavered from the effort. He felt Papyrus rub his back again.

“Of course Sans. I don’t mind having to help,” Papyrus said. He stayed with Sans until he noticed Sans’s breathing turned deeper and slower. He wished he knew what was going on with Sans. He knew that Sans tried to downplay what was going on so Papyrus didn't worry, but he knew better. 

He made sure the blankets were covering Sans and left, heading to his own room. Whatever was going on with Sans, he would be there. He wouldn't let him deal with this on his own.

The next morning, Sans woke up feeling a bit better. He was still dizzy but he could think without too much struggle. He sat up, just as Papyrus entered his room.

"Are you feeling any better today?" Papyrus said, smiling. It didn't seem like it took too much work for him to sit up today. He handed Sans a glass of water and some more pain killers.

"yeah. i'll be fine today. yesterday was just a fluke," Sans said, taking the pills without much trouble. Papyrus gave him a critical look and took the water back.

"Well get cleaned up and come down for breakfast. We have to leave soon," he said, leaving the room.

Sans sighed. He could stand, but it felt like his legs would give out at any moment. He grabbed clean clothes and headed to the bathroom.

Instead of trying to take a shower, he used a washcloth to wipe off, sitting on the counter as he did. He had more days like this than he could count, but they were easier to deal with than the days like yesterday.

He could still push himself forward. He could still throw on a tired smile and say he was just being lazy. He knew that Papyrus worried less about him on days like these. He pulled on his clean clothes and left the bathroom.

The stairs were the worst part of the house. He had to take them one at a time, gripping on the banister to keep himself from falling forward. If he needed help, Papyrus would in a soulbeat, but he didn’t want Papyrus to insist he stay home again.

He took a deep breath once he got to the main floor. He made it. It wore him out, but he made it without help. After a minute of rest, he walked into the kitchen.

“smells good paps, what’s for breakfast?” He asked, sliding into his chair. Papyrus set a plate of eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns in front of him. Without being asked, he brought him the ketchup as well.

“IF YOU WANT MORE, LET ME KNOW!” His loud voice was back. Sans fought the urge to wince. He didn’t want Papyrus to change who he was because he couldn’t take loud noises.

“i will. it looks egg-cellent,” he said, eating slowly. Papyrus sighed and groaned at the pun, sitting down next to him and eating his own breakfast. They ate in silence.

When it was time to go, Papyrus gathered their plates and set them in a sink of soapy water. Sans slid on his slippers, being too tired to deal with shoes. Papyrus gave him a questioning look, but said nothing. 

They left the house, splitting off to go their separate ways. Sans went to his sentry station, while Papyrus checked on the puzzles. He was going to close his eyesockets and nap, but he heard something coming from the forest towards the ruins.

He walked slowly towards the door, trying not to overdo it. His slippers quickly got wet and cold. This part of the path was less traveled and because of that, the snow wasn’t as stomped down as it was in town. 

He slid behind a tree, watching the door shut. A small child stood in front of the door, looking around with an uncertain look in their eyes. He let out a soft sigh. Just what he needed. He spent a few minutes summoning the energy to walk out on the main path and confront the human. 

They were almost at the bridge by the time he got them to turn around. One hand-held whoopie cushion later, and everything was going well. Papyrus was having a great time showing off his puzzles. The worry from the previous day seemed to have been forgotten. 

Sans did his best to be excited and put on a good show. His energy was fading, however, and he was starting to get a bad headache. He stopped at a tree, leaning against it for support. He closed his eyesockets and relaxed for a bit.

When he woke up, he was cold and wet and it was dark outside. He grunted and pushed himself up. His body hurt. He didn’t mean to fall asleep for so long. 

The walk home wore him out more than he thought it would. He was tempted to stop a few times and rest, but he didn’t want to fall asleep again and make Papyrus worry. When he finally got inside the house, he heard Papyrus on the phone in the kitchen.

“I LOOKED EVERYWHERE, I CAN’T FIND HIM!” Papyrus said. “I KNOW, I KNOW, I’M TRYING TO STAY CALM UNDYNE!” He sounded upset. “YOU SURE HE ISN’T IN WATERFALL?”

Sans pulled off his wet slippers and socks. He felt horrible. He sat on the couch, his eyesockets falling shut before he could call out to Papyrus. It didn’t matter though, because Papyrus saw him sit down.

“I’ll call you back,” He said quietly. Undyne said something and he gave a quick yes, before hanging up. He walked over to Sans and knelt in front of him.

“Sans? Are you ok?” He asked. Sans opened his eyes and looked at Papyrus, giving a slight shrug. 

“fell asleep. sorry for making you worry,” He said. Papyrus frowned and wrapped him in a hug. After a second, Sans hugged back. Tears pricked at his sockets, but he blinked them away. 

“Whatever is going on Sans, I’m here for you.” Papyrus said. He picked Sans up and took him upstairs to his room. When he was on his bed, he helped him take off his wet jacket, and tucked him into the bed again.

“didja have fun with the kid?” Sans asked, smiling at Papyrus. Papyrus rubbed his back again and nodded.

“Yes, they are on their way through Waterfall. I think they can befriend Undyne without much trouble,” He said. Sans was almost asleep already. “Sans?” He asked.

“hmm?” Sans responded. 

“When we get to the surface, do you think I could be a doctor?” Papyrus sounded unsure of himself and it was enough to make Sans wake up and look at him.

“you can be whatever you want to be paps. i’ll support you no matter what you want to do,” He said, smiling. Papyrus smiled back. 

“Get some sleep sans. You need it,” Papyrus said. Sans closed his eyes again. He felt Papyrus stand up. “Good night,” Papyrus said, closing the door behind him.

Sans couldn’t help but think of how disappointed Papyrus would be when he learned the human had abandoned them. He couldn’t put his trust in them. He doubted they would be able to do anything about the barrier. They were stuck down here forever, just like he was stuck in a body that didn’t work properly anymore. _Just like Papyrus was stuck with a useless brother._

He drifted off into a restless slumber, thinking how ironic it was that all he could really do anymore was sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Sans didn't like being wrong. It made him feel even more out of control of his life. Still, he didn't mind being wrong this time. 

Papyrus stood next to him, tears sparkling in his sockets. The sun was warm and felt so good on Sans's bones. A warm breeze tugged at his clothes. 

He didn't know how the kid did it and he honestly didn't care to ask, but they were finally on the surface. A city sat in the valley below, a long winding road leading to it. 

He felt energized for the first time in a while. He couldn't look at everything fast enough. He wanted to remember this day forever. He picked up a leaf and handed it to Papyrus, a relaxed grin on his face. They had made it, and everything was going to be ok now.

Except it wasn't. The human government did not want them. They treated them with distrust and greeted them with an army. After a month of keeping them a secret and keeping them in temporary camps, the king and queen and the human government came up with an agreement that worked for both sides with the understanding that more debating would happen.

The public weren't very happy with them either. There were protests and threats. Monsters were attacked on the streets. 

But it didn't stop them. They were here to stay, even if it was with limits. They eventually moved out of the temporary camps and into a few government owned apartment buildings. They were not allowed to drive or own a vehicle, nor were they allowed to move out of the government buildings or own property. They could work for employers but were not allowed to own their own businesses. 

It was frustrating to say the least. Human laws didn't apply to them and as such, some employers discriminated freely and underpaid monster workers. Still, they had to eat, so most monsters worked wherever they would be hired, even if the pay was bad. 

Over a year later, and negotiations were completely stalled. The government didn't want to offer them any other freedoms. The government even banned them from going back to the underground, separating those who chose to remain underground from their family and friends who went to the surface. 

Sans sighed and closed the apartment door behind him. He was exhausted. Papyrus wouldn't be home for a few more hours. He wanted his brother home, but he didn't want to admit he lost his job again.

He slumped down on the stiff couch. The apartment didn't feel like home. Even though the surface was amazing and wonderful, the treatment monsters were dealing with dulled the entire experience. 

This was the third job he had been fired from this month. It was hard enough for him to get up in the morning for work. Going to interviews was a sure fire way for him to be too exhausted to do anything else for the day. 

He just wanted to have a happy life. He wanted Papyrus to be able to go to school. He wanted to not get spit on when he walked down the street. He wanted to be treated equally. 

He laid down. He hated this couch. It was cheap and the fabric was rough. Papyrus was working on maybe buying a new one, but in the meantime they threw a blanket on it and pretended it wasn't horribly uncomfortable.

He could just go to his room, but the bed wasn't much better. All their furniture was provided to them by the government. They were allowed to buy their own, but with how little work there was for monsters, they couldn't be picky. 

They didn't even have a tv. Paps was saving up for that too. Paps was saving up for everything. It was on Sans to try and pay for the food and other bills. Sans got fired or couldn't find work so often that Paps had picked up a second job to cover the bills when Sans couldn't.

Sans closed his eyesockets, figuring he would get a little nap in before Papyrus came home. Maybe he would have a bit more energy then and he could help with the cooking and chores. 

He woke up to the smell of food. He glanced at the wall clock. Papyrus had been home for over an hour. Sans sighed and got up, walking into the tiny kitchen area.

"HELLO BROTHER, HOW DID YOU SLEEP?" Papyrus said, a tired smile on his face. He stirred the pot of soup he was making.

"i slept ok," Sans said, sighing. He wasn't mentally ready for this. "i uh… got fired again." He said quietly.

Papyrus stopped stirring and turned around, frowning slightly. For a brief second, Sans could see the worry flash across his face, but it was gone as fast as it came. 

"NO WORRIES, I'M SURE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FIND ANOTHER ONE SOON!" Papyrus said, giving Sans a comforting pat on his shoulder. It didn't make Sans feel any better. 

"i'll go to the temp service tomorrow," he said, trying to be reassuring. They weren't in a bad place for money but one of Pap's jobs paid him next to nothing and the other one wore him out. Papyrus hated dipping into the savings, but he would if he had to.

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT," Papyrus said, handing him a bowl of soup. "THE DOCTOR CALLED ME BACK."

Sans froze midway putting his dish on the counter. Papyrus had managed to convince him to see a doctor about his exhaustion. Sans didn't see a reason to see someone, but Papyrus had practically begged him. They went to the doctor that the government had told them to, and Sans had a few tests run. That was a week ago.

"and?" Sans said, sitting down at the bar stool. He was almost nervous and he didn't know why. It wasn't like he was sick. He just was lazy. 

"THEY FOUND NOTHING ABNORMAL IN YOUR MAGIC OR MARROW," Papyrus sighed, sitting down next to Sans with his own bowl. "THEY SUGGESTED NOTHING IS WRONG."

Sans shrugged. "like i told you, i’m just being lazy,” He said, staring at the soup. Of course nothing was wrong. He just didn’t like to work.

Papyrus scowled at him. “I DON’T BELIEVE THAT FOR A MOMENT. I KNOW YOU AREN’T FAKING THIS. I ASKED WHAT THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE. THEY WANT TO DO A SLEEP STUDY ON YOU.”

Sans groaned. “comeon paps, i’m fine. how many times do i have to say i’m fine before you believe me?”

“I MIGHT BELIEVE YOU IF YOU WERE TELLING THE TRUTH,” he scolded. His voice softened. “Sans, you can’t keep going like this. You can’t keep lying to me. You being so exhausted that you can’t get out of bed isn’t normal. I just want you to be happy and healthy.” He put his hands on both of Sans’s shoulders. “Please. I need you to be honest. I can’t help if you aren’t honest.”

Sans couldn’t meet his eyes. He felt like a failure, no matter how much Papyrus told him it wasn’t his fault. “i know but if i admit it, then it makes it real…” He muttered. Papyrus pulled him into a hug.

“It’s already real. We have to move forward,” He said, squeezing Sans. Sans let out a tiny shaky laugh. 

“when did you get so amazing?” He smiled up at Papyrus. 

“I’VE ALWAYS BEEN AMAZING! BUT IT HELPS TO HAVE AN AMAZING BROTHER AS WELL,” He said, giving Sans a gentle noogie. 

Sans laughed again, this time more real. "so what do i need to do to set up the sleep study?" He knew Papyrus wouldn't let it go, but more than that he was so tired of feeling like shit all the time.

"I ALREADY TOOK CARE OF IT. YOUR APPOINTMENT IS IN A FEW MONTHS. IT WAS THE EARLIEST I COULD SCHEDULE," he said, turning back to the counter. "I DON'T WANT YOU TO WORRY ABOUT WORKING UNTIL AFTER THOSE RESULTS COME BACK.” 

Sans almost choked on his soup. “we both need to work. you can’t keep working two jobs. it’s not fair.” He said, but Papyrus was not having any of it.

“YOU ARE ALWAYS TIRED AFTER WORK AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES YOU A LOT OF TIME TO RECOVER. I THINK FOR NOW IT’S BEST YOU DON’T WORK UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE THINGS OUT.”

“but…”

“IF YOU WANT TO STILL DO THINGS, YOU COULD HELP ME WITH CHORES. AND YOU CAN COME TO THE LIBRARY WITH ME TOMORROW.” 

“Ok.”

They chatted about their day as they finished their food, but Sans wasn’t really in the conversation. He had already been the provider. It was so strange to him to have his little brother caring for him. It made him feel uneasy and a bit helpless. 

“so how’s undyne’s new job?” He asked, trying to get his mind off of his inner turmoil. 

“SHE HATES IT. SHE SAYS THE BUILDING IS TOO HOT AND STUFFY.”

“at least they’re paying minimum wage.”

“THAT’S THE ONLY REASON SHE’S NOT LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB. THEY AREN’T TOO RUDE TO HER EITHER.”

Sans sighed, trying not to slump on the counter. Papyrus noticed and grabbed the empty bowls, putting them in the sink.

“IT’S TIME FOR BED. I HAVE TO BE UP IN A FEW HOURS FOR WORK AND YOU NEED YOUR REST,” He said, smiling. Sans smiled back and wasn’t even surprised when Papyrus picked him up. He got carried to his bed and tucked in.

“GOOD NIGHT SANS,” Papyrus said, giving his head a small pat.

“good night bro,” Sans smiled a bit. “and thanks. sorry for everything i’m putting you through, but thanks. it means a lot.”

“DO NOT THANK ME. I AM JUST DOING MY BROTHERLY DUTY, NYEHEHE.”

“yeah, you’re so bro-some.”

“SANS.”

“the bed-st.”

“SANS!”

“let's put this conversation to bed for a bit.”

“SANS I SWEAR!”

“seriously though paps.”

“YES SANS?”

“you’re my _night_ in shining armor.”

“GO TO SLEEP SANS!!”

Papyrus stomped out of his room, a grin on his face. Sans was doing his best not to laugh. They were going to be ok. They had to be.


	3. Chapter 3

You had been working at the library for a few years when the monsters were released from the underground. You didn’t mind. They seemed nice enough and it bothered you that some humans treated them like shit.

You had a good relationship with a monster named Papyrus. He came into the library a few months ago looking to get a card. You had to turn him down because of what he was. No monsters were allowed library cards, but that didn’t stop him from coming in every day.

You found out that he was coming in on his lunch to read. Two weeks of that and you had enough. He looked exhausted and you were worried he wasn’t eating so you approached him.

“Would you like to take those home?” You asked. He was reading a book on basic chemistry and had a book on biology to his side. He gave you a small smile.

“I was told I’m not allowed to take them out without having a card,” He said. You nodded. 

“I know, but what I can do for you is I can put them on my card. Then you can take them home. I’d be responsible for any of your fines, so if they are late, I would expect you to pay for that, but other than that, I don’t see the harm in letting you use my card.” You smiled.

“REALLY? YOU WOULD DO THAT FOR- ah whoops, I mean, you would do that for me?” He said, correcting his tone. You nodded. 

“Of course. I think the policy of not letting monsters have cards is stupid anyway. Libraries should be for everyone.”

His grin was so bright that it caused you to grin hard too. You led him up to the front desk and scanned your card. “Now make sure if you need them renewed that you either call and ask for me, or come in and find me.” You logged into your computer and scanned your card, then the books.

“Thank you, thank you so much, thank you,” He said, almost in tears. You handed him the books and the receipt with the due date. No matter how much you told him it was alright, he kept thanking you.

Two weeks later, he returned with the books to renew them and he brought you some cupcakes. You two sat and talked for a bit. He told you about his dreams and his brother. You offered to help him wherever you could. 

Since then, you two had fallen into a pattern. He would bring you a little treat or a cup of coffee and you would check out books under your card for him. Sometimes he had questions that you answered, but he seemed to be understanding everything he picked out.

He walked into the building, a short skeleton in tow. You smiled and turned to your coworker.

“I’m going to go on lunch. Do you have everything handled?” You asked. He waved you away.

“I’m good, go to lunch with your friend,” He said. You didn’t need to be told twice. You clocked out and grabbed your backpack, walking over to Papyrus.

“Hello!” You greeted. Papyrus gave you a hug. You hugged him back. You weren’t too big on physical affection, but Papyrus was an exception. “How have you been?”

He beamed and handed you a cupcake. You took it without arguing (it rarely went over well). “I’m doing well! This is my older brother,” He said, gesturing to the smaller skeleton. “Sans. And Sans, this is the human that lets me use their card to check out books.”

Sans gave you a slight nod and a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. You tried not to let it bother you. He looked exhausted and you couldn’t blame him if he wasn’t up to being cheerful. Papyrus looked expectantly between both of you and you offered Sans your hand. He took it and gave it a slight shake.

“It’s nice to meet you,” You said. His hand was smooth and surprisingly warm. You were temporarily amazed that his hand was so delicate. Papyrus’s bones seemed to be made of steel, while Sans’s reminded you of fine porcelain.

“same,” he said, pulling his hand out of yours. He shoved his hand in his pocket like you were going to grab him again. He shifted and leaned into Papyrus. 

Papyrus looked concerned and put his hand on Sans's shoulder. He handed you the books he checked out the last time he was at the library. You took them and set them next to your computer. 

"Thank you for the cupcake. Is there anything I can help you find?" You asked. Papyrus didn't acknowledge you right away and was instead speaking quietly to Sans. Without much of a warning, he scooped up Sans and held him in his arms. You watched as Sans wrapped his arms around Papyrus's neck and leaned his head on his shoulder. It didn't take him long to get comfortable.

"My brother is a bit tired today," Papyrus said quietly. You nodded.

"Do you need a wheelchair? We have some at the other entrance. I could go grab one for you," you offered. 

"Oh no that's fine. Sans hasn't used one before and he doesn't mind being carried," Papyrus said, trying to shift Sans enough that he could grab a book basket. You grabbed it instead.

"Well I'm still on my break. Let me at least help you hold your books," your smile must have been enough to convince him.

"Thank you! You're an excellent friend!" He said. You could tell he was genuinely touched.

"I learn from the best!" You said, winking. His face flushed a bit and he looked so happy. Sans kept his sockets closed, making no comment. He probably was asleep already. It worried you a bit but Papyrus treated it like it was a normal thing so you figured it wasn't too much of a concern.

You help him pick out a few more books on organic chemistry and math. He had told you he struggles most with those subjects and when he was allowed to go to school, he wanted to be prepared. A manageable amount of books sat in the basket when you were done.

"Does Sans want anything?" You asked. Papyrus paused and thought.

"Maybe. But I'm unsure what he would like. It's been a while since I've seen him passionate about something," he said. "He likes pranks and jokes unfortunately. And when he was younger he used to be fascinated with the sky."

"Weeeeeelllll…." You hummed, leading him to the astronomy section. "Here's a great one. The pictures are really vivid and it is a really good read." You held it up and showed him. He nodded and you put it in the basket. You lead him to another shelf and pulled out another book.

"This one is pretty funny. It's an easy read but always makes me laugh. The writer actually started it as an internet comic but got it published. It's pretty good," you said, opening it and letting him read a page. He snickered a bit. 

"It's perfect. Thank you," he said. You both walked back to your desk and you signed in and checked in his old books, then checked out his new ones.

"And you're all set," you said, putting the books in a reusable bag. You were supposed to be selling them, but two bucks out of your pocket wouldn't make or break your day. From what Papyrus had told you, you knew there was a bit of money issues in his household. 

He looked at the bag and the sign saying how much they were and shifted Sans to grab his wallet. You held up your hands.

"Nope. The bag is a gift. For uh… being great and returning your books on time. Even I'm not that good at returning my books," you said. It was true. You had a fine on your account right now. 

He looked like he was going to argue, but you have him a determined look. He smiled.

"Thank you," he said. "I'll see you in a week or two."

"Yup, see you then! Bye Sans, it was nice to meet you!" You said. Papyrus turned away but not before flashing you a grateful look. Sans hummed as a reply but once Papyrus had his back to you, he opened his eyes and looked at you with a cold, judging look. 

You suppressed a shiver and lowered your eyes. For a second, cold sharp fear rushed your system and you stopped breathing. As quick as it came on, it was gone again. You looked back at them but they were already out the door.

Later, at home, you couldn't stop your thoughts drifting to the skeleton brothers. Papyrus was actually a very close friend and you really enjoyed his company, but Sans kind of creeped you out, especially after the look he gave you. 

Still, you couldn't help but feel bad for thinking poorly about him. He was clearly not a huge threat. He looked so small in Papyrus's arms.

You weren't very tall, being a few inches under average, but Sans still somehow managed to be smaller than you. His bones were so delicate feeling that it made you feel ashamed for being afraid of him.

Realistically, he should be afraid of you. You wouldn't hurt a fly, but you knew some humans would and had hurt monsters. The news was littered with hate crimes.

You wondered if anyone had tried that with Papyrus or Sans. You felt anger burn in your chest at the thought of someone hurting them. You hoped they were safe. 

Your dog pawed at your leg. He was a small guy weighing no more than 12 pounds. He was a brown mutt that you had gotten from the local shelter. 

"Aww, you gotta go outside Muffin?" You asked. He wagged his tail and huffed excitedly. You smiled and got up, grabbing his harness and leash. He started hopping on his back legs, letting out excited whines. You didn't think you would ever get tired of his genuine excitement. 

You slipped the harness on him and took him outside. He pulled you to a street pole and hiked his leg. You let him do his business and put your ear buds in.

You started walking with him. He took every chance to pee everywhere (as he always did) and you listened to your music. Suddenly, he pulled to the side, almost yanking your phone out of your hand. 

"Muffin!" You said, startled. He kept pulling, growling and barking towards an alley. You gave his leash a tug to try and calm him down. He wouldn't, and tried again to go into the alley.

This is how people died. You'd seen enough horror movies to know to keep you from going into the alley. You were going to pick up Muffin and go past the alley but you heard a pained whimper.

You felt your soul drop. Muffin barked again and you decided to follow him. He led you to behind a dumpster. In a pile of filled trashed bags laid a flame monster. 

You almost dropped Muffin's leash. Muffin barked and whined. You dropped to your knees to check on him.

His eyes watched you warily. You looked over his body for wounds, only finding spots where the flames were dull and sooty looking. You resisted the urge to touch him.

"Are you ok?" You asked. Muffin tried to jump on him but you kept a hold on his harness. "Do you need to go to the hospital? Do you need help?" You were trying not to panic.

He grimaced and grunted. "I'm fine…" he said quietly. His voice crackled like wood fire. You gave a small smile.

"Are you sure? You look pretty hurt. I don't mind helping," you said. He looked at you with complete distrust.

"Humans have helped me enough," he said, his voice snapping angrily. He shifted himself to a sitting position but gasped in pain and sunk down into the trash again.

"I…" you paused, his words sinking in. "I'm so sorry. I'm not going to pretend that all humans are good. Right now though, I want to help. Please. Even if it is me loaning you my phone," you said, holding it out to him.

He sighed and shook his head at your phone. "We aren't allowed to have phones, who do you think I would call?" He said bitterly. You had forgotten about that. You put your phone in your pocket sheepishly.

"Sorry…" you sat down next to him, pulling Muffin in your lap. "Do you have any open wounds? I don't want you to bleed out."

"I don't have blood," he said, slightly amused. You flushed a bit at your mistake. "No, no open wounds. Just cold spots." He closed his eyes, face contorting in pain. "It'll fade."

You frowned. You didn't know what cold spots were but based on the fact that he was a man made of literal fire, you knew it couldn't be good. 

"Is there anything I can do?" 

He sighed again. "No. I just have to wait for my magic to dull the pain."

"I'll stay with you until then so nobody messes with you."

He looked at you like you were full of shit. You shrugged and he looked away.

Twenty minutes later your butt was numb and cold, but you still stayed. He seemed to be more relaxed but the silence was killing you and you had questions.

"So what are cold spots?" You asked before you could you stop yourself. He was quiet for a bit before he answered.

"They are where my flames barely burn," he said. You looked at the few on his face. They burned in a different color than the flames around them. Soot and dust gently flaked from them.

"What happened? To cause them, that is."

His eyes turned cold. "Humans attacked me and poured water on me." He glared at you. "And we are not allowed to defend ourselves." You swallowed, feeling sick to your stomach. 

"They could have killed you…" you muttered. He looked away. The silence fell over you two again. Finally, he tried to sit up again. He grunted, but didn't sink back down.

"Do you need help getting on your feet?" You said, standing up. Your legs were numb. You held out a hand for him. After a few seconds, he grabbed it. Surprisingly, he didn't burn you. His hand was pleasantly warm like a fireplace on a snowy day. You helped him to his feet and he managed to stay upright. 

"Thank you…" he said awkwardly. You shook your head.

"Don't thank me. I'm so sorry that you got hurt. Do you want me to walk you to your home?" You asked.

"No, I should be fine. Thank you though."

You smiled and walked with him to the end of the alley. With a wave, you two parted. Muffin was excited to go home and get food. 

You realized once you got home that you hadn't asked his name. You wondered if he was going to ok. You were now even more worried for your skeleton friends.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The spaghetti noodle scene has been wonderfully drawn by calcium-cat! [ It's technically my first fanart for this fic!](https://64.media.tumblr.com/b72177cf3af2046586b8d0ff3a473898/2ce52e095cd97586-05/s1280x1920/fb876b59eeab2629e2f43e9f33855d2319667970.jpg)

"SANS YOU NEED TO STOP MOPING!" Papyrus said, hands on his hips. It was the forth time in a week that he had come home to Sans laying on the couch, staring at the ceiling.

"i'm not moping," he said, not moving.

"DID YOU EAT TODAY?" Papyrus shifted into his vision, staring down at him.

"forgot to."

"SANS!" Papyrus sighed. "YOU NEED TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF YOURSELF."

"ok."

"I'M SERIOUS SANS."

"ok."

"I'M GOING TO GO MAKE DINNER. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP," he said, holding his hand out to Sans. Sans sighed and took it, allowing his brother to help him up. 

"ok," he said, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets and following Papyrus to the kitchen. 

"I'LL WORK ON THE SAUCE, YOU HANDLE THE NOODLES," he said, handing Sans the box of noodles. "PLEASE ASK IF YOU NEED HELP." 

Sans saw the concerned look on his face, but ignored it and grabbed the large pot, filling it from the tap. His arms shook with the strain of lifting the pot up on the stove, but he said nothing. Papyrus was too busy cutting vegetables to notice. 

He seasoned the water and dumped the box of noodles in, setting a timer. He was already tired from the exertion. Papyrus stood next to him, putting the vegetables and store bought sauce in another pan. He wanted to make his own homemade sauce one day, but with his work schedule he settled for doctoring the store bought stuff.

Eight minutes later and the noodles were ready to drain. Sans grabbed the strainer and set it in the sink before lifting the hot pot. His arms shook again and this time, Papyrus noticed.

"SANS DO YOU NEED HELP?" Papyrus asked.

"nah, i'm good," Sans said, tipping the pot into the strainer. It slipped about half way and scalding hot water and noodles flew all over the floor. Sans let out a small yelp, shaking the hot off of his legs and slippers. 

"SANS!" Papyrus said, dropping the spoon he was using. Luckily, most of the water had been drained out of the pot before it slipped. "ARE YOU OK??" He pulled him away from the sink and knelt, looking at his legs. Besides a bit of flush from his magic responding to the hot temperatures, he was fine.

"yeah, i don't think I got burnt," he muttered. He was dizzy again and he felt like he needed to sit down before he passed out. 

Papyrus gave a relieved sigh and started picking up the spaghetti off the floor. It was such a waste of food, but he was glad Sans was ok. "WHAT HAPPENED?"

"i wasn't paying attention," Sans said, shrugging. Papyrus stood back up and looked at him. He was so tired of this. He could tell Sans was lying but begging him not to wasn't getting them anywhere. 

He took the spaghetti noodles in his hand and wacked Sans with them. Sans looked at him with the most confused look Papyrus had ever seen. He slapped them against his head again, and again, and again, punctuating each word he said.

"STOP. LYING. TO. ME." Noodles slid out of his hands and onto Sans. They stood there, Papyrus noodles in hand and frustration clear on his face, and Sans so shocked he didn't know what to do.

It was Sans who cracked first and he broke down into laughter. He picked at one of the noodles on his arm and tossed it at Papyrus, laughing even harder. Papyrus’s face slid from the frustrated look into a smile.

He threw the rest of the noodles in the trash and scooped up Sans in his arms. Sans immediately went limp, still laughing.

“Sans, please. If something is wrong, I _need_ you to tell me. That’s not just when you are tired, that’s _everything_. I worry about you,” He said quietly, turning the sauce off. He completely ignored the food and instead moved them to the couch. 

Sans couldn’t look at him. He felt a rush of shame. No matter how many times Papyrus begged him to be truthful with him, Sans just couldn’t do it. He was supposed to be the strong one. Now he wasn’t even working because of how weak he was.

Papyrus picked all the remaining noodles off of Sans and threw them in the trash next to the couch. “Sans,” He said. Sans refused to look up. He felt Papyrus fidget on the couch. “Sans, I… I don’t know what to do. Please. What do I do?” His voice wobbled and finally Sans looked up.

The last time Sans had seen Papyrus cry was when he was still in stripes. He had come home with his boots gone and shivering from the water that covered him. Once Sans had him out of his wet clothes and in a warm blanket, Papyrus broke down sobbing. The kids bullying him never did it again once Sans was done with them.

Now, as an adult, tears streamed down his face. Sans was frozen for a second before reaching over and wrapping his little brother in a hug.

“no, paps, no no…” He said. “please don’t cry. i’m ok, i promise.”

Papyrus pushed him away and glared. “No. You. Are. Not. Stop doing that! I’m not a babybones anymore Sans! I’m not dumb!”

“doing what?” Sans asked.

“Lying to me for my benefit! This isn’t about me! It’s about you! If you aren’t doing good, you need to tell me or I can’t help!” Papyrus was getting frustrated again.

Sans sighed. “this shouldn’t fall on you to take care of. my issues aren’t on you to fix.” He mumbled.

Papyrus glared. “We are family Sans. You are all I have left. I don’t care if you think you are a burden to me because you _aren’t._ Was I a burden to you when I was younger?”

Sans looked like someone had slapped him. “no, paps, you were just a kid! of course you weren’t a burden. this is different-”

“No. No it’s not. I couldn’t help being a child, just like _you_ can’t help whatever is going on with you! Let me help, let me take care of you now. Please.”

Sans sighed again, looking down at his lap. “m’sorry…” He muttered. Papyrus groaned.

“Stop apologizing! You didn’t do this to yourself on purpose!” He was starting to get frustrated again. They lapsed into silence.

“i don’t feel like i have a purpose. i feel like like i’m a failure and no matter how hard i try, i can’t stop hating myself,” Sans finally whispered. Papyrus relaxed next to him and pulled him into a hug.

“That’s depression Sans. I think you should see someone,” He said gently. Sans snorted.

“ah yes, more human doctors who don’t know what is wrong with me. more bills for us to pay for because i can’t get my shit together,” he said, rolling his eyelights. Papyrus gently hit his shoulder.

“If I was in the same situation, would you say that to me?” Papyrus said, seriously. Sans immediately sat up.

“no of course not! are... are you doing ok paps?” He asked. He didn’t know what he would do if his little brother felt like he did. It hurt his soul to even consider it.

“Then why do you treat yourself any differently? You’re being cruel to my big brother and I don’t like that,” Papyrus said. He smiled at Sans’s confused then awestruck face. “You don’t get to lie to me anymore Sans. I know it’s hard, but we will get through this together. If it means you talk to a thousand human doctors before you find the one that understands you, then that’s what we will do.”

Sans sighed and leaned back into Papyrus. He still felt like shit, but a weight felt like it was lifted off his chest. They were quiet for a few minutes before he spoke up.

“sorry about the noodles bro,” he said. Papyrus laughed a bit, his chest bouncing with the sound.

“Nyehehe, it’s quite alright. I have another box. Would you like to help again?” He asked. Sans considered it.

“i want to but i can’t right now. i’m pretty dizzy,” he said, honestly. Papyrus gave his back a few pats before shifting him on the couch by himself. The grin on his face was bright and Sans couldn’t help but grin too.

“It’s alright Sans. I’ll bring you dinner when it’s ready,” He stood and went into the kitchen.

Sans still felt like shit, but at least Paps was feeling better. He closed his eyes and leaned on the arm rest of the couch. He had almost fallen asleep by the time Papyrus brought the food over.

The next morning, he actually felt ok. It was rare that he woke up without the dizziness and disorientation that had become his normal over the past year. He sat on the edge of the bed for a few minutes before walking out into the living room.

Papyrus was putting on his jacket. He saw Sans and smiled. “BREAKFAST IS IN THE FRIDGE, _PLEASE_ MAKE SURE YOU EAT TODAY.” He said. Sans nodded.

“thinking about stopping by grillby’s today,” He said, his hands shoved in his shorts pocket. 

“I THINK THAT’S A GREAT IDEA! SAY HELLO FOR ME. AND READ THOSE BOOKS I GOT YOU FROM THE LIBRARY, WE WILL HAVE TO RETURN THEM SOON,” Papyrus said. “HAVE A GOOD DAY!”

“you too bro,” Sans replied. And with that, Papyrus was out the door. Sans stretched and looked at the clock. It was way early in the morning, too early to go visit Grillby, so instead he grabbed his breakfast out of the fridge and threw it in the microwave. 

He sat down with his now warm breakfast and the astrology book Papyrus’s human friend had picked for him. He didn’t know how to feel about them. They seemed nice enough and had no LV, but he still was suspicious of their motive. Nobody was nice to monsters without having an ulterior motive. 

Still, they picked out a damn good book. He didn't even notice that he had been reading for hours until his soul rolled with hunger. He looked around for a bookmark and settled on a sock from the floor.

He stood up and stretched. Grillby wouldn't have to head to work for another hour or so, so it was a good time to visit. He threw on some semi-clean clothes and left their apartment.

Grillby was on the third floor of the building while Papyrus had managed to get them an apartment on the first floor. Sans was sure Papyrus had begged for their apartment for Sans's sake.

The building didn't have working elevators. They were promised that the elevators would be fixed a month after monsterkind moved in, but that was over a year. Sans steadied himself in the stairwell. He could always use a shortcut, but lately using his magic left him zapped and fuzzy for days. It was better to just walk.

It took him 20 minutes to climb the two flights of stairs. By the time he exited the stairwell, he was huffing and sweating. He wiped his forehead on his shirt and hobbled down the hall.

He knocked on Grillby's door once he caught his breath. Grillby answered seconds later and smiled when he saw Sans.

"hey grillbs," Sans said. "wanna hang before you go to work?"

Grillby stepped aside and gestured for Sans to come in. His apartment was set up the exact same as Sans's, including the same impersonal furniture. The only difference was that Grillby had a one bedroom. 

Sans sat on one of the barstools at the counter and flopped over, resting his skull on the cool top. Grillby gave a small tsk sound but moved into the kitchen and pulled out a pan. 

"Would you like lunch?" He said. Sans hummed in response and propped up his head on his hand.

"i'll never turn down your cooking," he said, his grin growing. He missed Grillby having his own restaurant, but Grillby never turned down a chance to cook for him so at least he was still getting the food. "if you got time. i don't want you to feel rushed."

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't have time," Grillby said, pulling out a burger patty from the freezer and two potatoes. He didn't have the best set up, but he did have a deep fryer and Sans was eternally grateful. Good french fries were hard to find, especially when you were a monster. 

"so how's work?" Sans asked. Grillby rolled up his sleeves and worked on peeling the potatoes. Some spots on his arm caught Sans's eye and his smile dropped a bit. "did ya get hurt washing dishes again?"

Grillby stopped what he was doing and looked at the spot. His eyes hardened a bit before he went back to peeling. The room was silent, and Sans was going to ask again, but Grillby answered before he could. 

"Work is fine, and no," he said, setting the potatoes on a cutting board and cutting even strips. "Humans attacked me on my way home from work."

Sans felt his magic boil with his anger. He sat up straight and gritted his teeth. He knew his eyesockets were dark, but he didn't care. All he could think about was the fact that someone hurt his friend.

"Stop it Sans," Grillby scolded gently. "I'm an adult, I can take care of myself and fight my own fights." He patted the potatoes off with some paper towels, seasoned them, and slid them into the ready deep fryer.

"still… i'm really starting to fucking hate humans," Sans said, relaxing back into himself. "they don't know what damage they're doing. sometimes i wonder if it was even worth leaving the underground…"

"Some are good," The patty was seasoned and put on the hot pan, sizzling and popping from the heat. "Just like some monsters are bad. They house us and don't charge us rent. A human made sure to check on me after I got attacked. It's not all bad." He worked on cutting some toppings.

"oh sorry, guess i'll have to thank the next human i come across for not charging us for the government housing we can't leave," Sans glared at the counter. "so nice of them, considering they won't pay us a living wage anyway."

"Sans, you know that's not what I meant. Things will get better. The king is working hard to get us more rights, but it will take time," Grillby set his hand on Sans's shoulder. "Don't give up just yet." He removed his hand and plated the fries and burger, setting it in front of Sans. "So did you get your test results back yet?"

Sans scoffed and shoved a fry in his mouth. As usual, it was delicious and wonderful. He was about to ask for ketchup when the bottle was handed to him. He smiled a bit and drowned his fries and burger. "yeah, nothing's wrong, just like i said. paps doesn't believe me and i have to take a sleep test in a few months. i don't think i'll have any trouble with that." He took a bite out of the burger.

"Gee, I wonder why he doesn't believe you," Grillby said sarcastically, but still smiled. He busied himself with cleaning the kitchen up while Sans ate. A comfortable quietness surrounded the two. It was nice, almost like old times.

Sans moved the plate away from himself and folded his arms, resting his skull on top of them. He was extremely tired now that he had a full "stomach". He sighed and let his eyesockets close.

Grillby picked up his plate and slipped it into the sink. He slid on waterproof gloves and gave the dishes a quick wash before heading to the other room to get ready for work. Sans would be fine on his own.

It was about two or three years ago that Grillby noticed Sans would tire out more. It took a lot more to wake Sans when he fell asleep at the bar, and he would wake up disoriented and dizzy. His jokes and smiles were fading and he was becoming a husk of his former self. Grillby hoped Papyrus kept pushing for a diagnosis, for Sans sake. 

Grillby finished getting dressed. He smoothed out his button up shirt and slipped on his shoes. He was a busboy for one of the local diners, but he still preferred to dress nicely. 

Sans was asleep on the counter, just like Grillby knew he would be. He gently patted his back. "Sans, I need to get going." Sans mumbled something and opened his eyesockets a crack.

Grillby sighed and patted Sans again. "Would you like help getting back to your apartment?" He asked. The last few times Sans had come to visit, he couldn't get back down to his apartment without someone carrying him. Maybe once the elevator was operational, he wouldn't struggle so much.

Sans only nodded and shifted when Grillby scooped him up. It wasn't the first time Grillby had held him, but it always surprised him how light Sans was. He grabbed his door keys and locked the door on his way out.

Sans was asleep by the time they got to the first floor. Grillby reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his door key, unlocking it and stepping inside the skeletons' apartment. He would have felt worse about intruding if it was the first time he had done this.

He set Sans on the couch and covered him with the blanket from the back and left the key on the coffee table. He couldn't lock the deadbolt, so he just locked the doorknob on his way out.

Sans slept on the couch until Papyrus came home and started cooking. He couldn't help but hate himself just a little. He wasted another day by sleeping it away.


	5. Chapter 5

They were late. You had already taken your lunch and both breaks. Your leg bounced under your desk with your anxiety as you watched the door. What if something happened to them? What if they got attacked? What if Sans got sicker? You weren’t a big fan of him, but he was still your friend’s brother and you were worried. 

Just as you were trying to figure out what you would say to the police if you called them, Papyrus crossed your view with Sans in one of the wheelchairs offered to library patrons. You felt incredibly stupid. You hadn’t even thought that they would come in from the other door. 

Papyrus pushed Sans up to the side of your desk and smiled nervously at you. He set down the books they checked out the last time and a coffee and cookie. 

“I’m so sorry for missing our usual time,” He said quietly. “We… were running late and then missed the bus. We had to wait for the next one.” 

You shook your head. “You’re completely fine Papyrus. You don’t have to be here at a specific time. I’m just glad you came. I was starting to worry,” You admitted. You set the treats aside and checked in the books. “So what can I help you find this time?”

“Actually, I would like to do some exploring on my own if that’s ok. And can I maybe leave Sans here for a bit? I’m sure he would like to rest,” He looked at Sans with a worried look. You glanced over too. Sans looked like he was fighting to stay awake but he still managed to glare at you. You snorted quietly.

“Yeah, I don’t mind. Just let me know if you need help,” You said. He smiled at you and nodded, heading to the non-fiction section of the library.

Silence fell over the both of you for a minute, while you worked on checking in the stack of DVDs from the drop box. You had almost forgotten about Sans until he leaned against your desk, supporting his head on his arms.

“i hate you,” he muttered quietly to himself. You stopped in the middle of opening a DVD case to check for the disk and turned to look at him. He glared at you, but you could see the nervous undertones on his face. 

“Ok,” You said, popping open the case. The disk was there and in good shape. You scanned it in. 

“we were late because i didn’t want to come,” He shifted, his bones scraping a bit against the desk. You froze a bit and glanced at him to make sure he wasn’t hurt. 

Even with his jacket, he looked uncomfortable. He couldn’t fold his arms right enough to provide the cushion he was obviously looking for. You’d been there too. Sleeping with your head on a desk was either really easy to do, or frustratingly hard to get comfortable doing. 

“Here,” You said and grabbed your own jacket from your chair back and folded it, keeping the fluffy side out. You held out the makeshift pillow to him. He scowled at you.

“why would i want your gross clothing?” He said rolling his eyelights. He shifted on his arms again.

“Wow rude, I wash my clothes at least once a year,” You said, sticking your tongue out. “Papyrus might be a while and he would be mad if I didn’t at least try to make you comfortable.”

“what a wonderful way to get me to actually want to take your jacket,” he scoffed and looked away. “and don’t talk to my brother.”

“But I’m not even talking to him right now?” Your face twisted with confusion. “Ok I guess? He kind of has to talk to me if he wants books though, so I don’t know how that’s going to work out but I’ll try?”

“... shit,” He said after a few moments of thinking. “whatever.”

More silence fell over you, only interrupted by the beeping of your machine as you checked items in. He let out a soft sigh and shifted again. You slid the jacket to him again.

“Use my stinky unwashed clothing. Don’t be afraid. You won’t catch anything, I promise,” You teased gently. He grunted and closed his eyesockets. You grinned and pulled the jacket back, sliding it to him again and pushed it at him again, gently bumping it against his skull. It only took four more times before he snatched the jacket from you.

“fine, just let me sleep,” He stuffed the jacket under his head, holding around it. You bit your tongue to avoid saying anything. After a few minutes, his breathing deepened. It seemed like your jacket did the trick.

You only resumed checking in items until you were sure he was at least mostly asleep. You snuck little looks over to make sure he was ok with the noise and to make sure he was doing alright. 

Papyrus came over about 10 minutes later, holding a few books. He glanced at Sans and set the books down quietly, motioning to you to get up and follow him. You grabbed a pen and sticky note, quickly scribbling a _Do not wake the skeleton_ note and stuck it to your desk. You stood as quietly as you could and followed Papyrus over to one of the public use computers.

“I was wondering if you could help me find something to help Sans,” He said, glancing back to your desk to make sure Sans was still asleep. “He’s been really struggling even though he doesn’t want to admit it.”

You nodded and Papyrus took a seat. “Well what are you looking for?” You asked. 

“I’m… not sure,” He gave a frustrated sigh. “There’s no books here on monster biology and the internet wasn’t very helpful. He has a sleep study in a few months but I’m afraid that won’t show anything.”

“Ok, well maybe there’s something you can do in the meantime to help him with daily life until you can figure out what’s going on,” You said, pulling one of the other chairs to sit next to him. “What’s he struggling with?”

“Everything. He’s tired all the time, and dizzy. Sometimes when he wakes up, he can’t get out of bed. Other times he just randomly nods off. He sleeps all the time and I think he’s in a lot more pain then he’s been telling me,” Papyrus said.

“Alright. So I think mobility devices would be a great place to start. I think you should see if being in a wheelchair will help him. If he doesn’t have to walk everywhere, he might have a better chance of having energy for other things,” You said, typing in a second hand medical device store that you had seen a few blocks away. “Though you probably would want to look at getting a power chair. You don’t want him to get too tired using his arms. But they’re expensive. You could rent them and have him try it before you buy.” You gestured the mouse to some of the options.

“Yeah…” He muttered. “I could get another job to get enough money if it works for him.”

You couldn’t help but frown. You knew Papyrus already worked two jobs, but it wasn’t your place to say anything. “You could also do something around your house. Rearrange things so it’s easier for him to navigate. Keep the things he needs daily in one area and in his reach. Get a shower chair so he can shower sitting down. For pain, you can try ice packs and heating pads. I don’t know if you have a tub, but you could also have him try warm baths.”

“That… might work. I don’t know if he would want to use anything like that though,” Papyrus frowned. “It was hard enough to convince him to sit in the wheelchair.”

“It sounds like it was pretty difficult to convince him to come too,” You said, shaking your head. “He’s just going to have to get used to the fact that he needs help. Maybe if he starts to feel better using mobility devices, he won’t be so against them.”

Papyrus exhaled in a dry laugh. “You have no idea. I’m trying to get him to open up to me more but he won’t. He’s stubborn.”

“Yeah, I noticed he’s kind of a bonehead,” You said, glancing at the clock at the bottom of the screen. “I’m off in ten minutes. If you want, I can come with you to the store and maybe help point out some things that might help. A lot of times these stores have stock that isn’t online.”

He smiled at you and nodded. You logged out of the computer and stood up, going over to your desk. You picked up the books he wanted to check out and scanned them. He picked up the sticky note you left on your desk and read it, giving you a soft smile. 

“You can keep it,” You said, grinning. He stuck it on the first page of one of the books and glanced over at Sans. Only then did he notice your jacket. His face softened and he looked at you, gently rubbing Sans’s head.

“Thank you for taking care of him. I know he’s not the easiest to get along with, especially when he’s tired and cranky,” He said. You bit back a laugh. It was hard for you to remember that Papyrus was the younger brother, especially when he talked about Sans as if he was a fussy toddler. 

“mmm not cranky…” Sans muttered, his voice muffled by your jacket. “mmm sans…”

You had chosen that exact moment to take a sip of the coffee Papyrus got you and it took every muscle in your body not to spit it out from laughter. Papyrus’s hand froze on top of Sans’s head mid rub and he just sighed.

“That was a horrible joke brother,” he scolded. You snorted, trying hard not to laugh too loud.

“sounds like the human liked it,” Sans said, propping his head up on his hand. He still had some significant dark circles under his sockets, but he looked a bit rested.

“Hope you didn’t drool on my jacket,” You said. He shoved it at you.

“hope i don’t fleas from it,” he said back, looking bored. Papyrus tsked and gave him a gentle shove. 

“Brother! That’s not what you say!” He said, scowling. 

“fine. thanks for letting me borrow your flea infested jacket,” he said.

“No problem. And don’t worry, there’s no fleas. Just bed bugs,” you said, pulling on the jacket. You logged out of your time card and computer. 

“great, just want i wanted. more reasons to have sleeping issues. you shouldn’t have,” he said. You could tell he wasn’t really into the back and forth. He watched you stand up and grab your backpack. 

“Ready to go?” You said to Papyrus. He nodded and grabbed the wheelchair. Sans flailed a bit before turning to glare at you as you walked besides Papyrus.

“where the hell do you think you’re going?” He asked in an accusatory tone. Papyrus shoved him again.

“They are helping us shop,” he said, parking the chair by the entrance. He picked up Sans who immediately wrapped his arms and legs around his brother in his signature koala hold. 

“nope. we don’t need help,” Sans said. “you can go home.” He said to you, making a small shooing motion with one of his hands behind Papyrus’s back.

“I will, just after I help Papyrus,” You said innocently. “You want me to help your bro, right?” 

If looks could kill, you would be dead in the ground. He mouthed what looked like ‘fuck you’ at you before burying his face into Papyrus’s shoulder. He whispered something to Papyrus, but only got a small pat on the head in return.

The walk was awkward and silent, but it still was fun. It had been awhile since you had gone shopping with friends. Even though this wasn’t the kind of shopping you were used to, you were excited to spend time with Papyrus (and Sans) outside of the library.

The store was fairly big. Once you were inside and Sans could see what the store sold, he started to squirm.

“paps no…” he practically begged, whining a bit. 

“Sans yes,” Papyrus said sternly. Sans didn’t argue after that. He just tucked his face back into his brother’s shoulder and stayed quiet.

You pointed at a brand new shower chair. “That should work. Want it?” You asked. He nodded and you grabbed it.

You looked at the wheelchairs next and the rental policy. Papyrus hummed at a few, but in the end he decided not to do anything with them just yet. You headed to the checkout with the shower chair, a heating pad, and a pack of reusable ice packs. 

Papyrus fumbled a bit to try and get out his wallet and you saw your chance. You took out your wallet and slid the card before he could get his out and smiled at him.

“You... didn’t need to do that,” He said, concerned a bit. “Let me pay you back, hold on.” He reached again for the wallet. 

“Nope, it’s a gift. Don’t worry about paying me back,” You said, taking the receipt and bag from the cashier. 

“some gift…” Sans muttered bitterly.

“Your gift is bed bugs, remember?” You said. He scoffed and flipped you the bird. You snorted. 

“Sans, stop being ungrateful!” Papyrus scolded. He took the bag from you and you walked him the few feet to the bus stop. “Thank you again human. I appreciate all your help.” 

“Anything for my friends,” You said. His face lit up and you could swear there were tears in the corner of his eyesockets. He whispered something to Sans then waved to you as you left. 

When you took your jacket off when you got home, you noticed the blue stain on the fluffy inside. Sans had indeed drooled on your coat.


End file.
